


The House of Fowl

by Rahn (Rahndom)



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer, Batman (Comics), DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahndom/pseuds/Rahn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After her little meeting with death, Janet Drake decides to take her son to meet her older brother and his family. Shame Artemis is still trying to fight with her, considering her family will always be best.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Janet eyes her older brother**  coldly, the perfect picture of the proud lady of the household, just like their father wanted of her. The only indication that the years of her supposed demise have incommoded Janet in any way is how she won’t let go of her son’s hand, how her fingers caress his wrist and find infinite comfort on the beating of his pulse against her skin.

Had he been the same as he was ten years ago, he would have mocked his sister’s weakness and sentimentality, especially the way she would let her son’s thumb caress the back on her hand in return to her obvious affection, but he had been no different after his own release from imprisonment. He had wrapped his arms around his own son and wife and wept in relief to find them alive and well.

Therefore he remained silent as his beloved wife served them tea.

“Three drops of lemon juice and a lump of sugar, of course, Janet dear?” Evangeline asked, her bright blue eyes regarding the other woman warmly and reminding Artemis Sr. why he had married her in the first place.

She was totally different from the woman his mother had been and the one his sister had grown up to be, and, therefore, she was perfect in his eyes.

“Here you go, Janet,” Evangeline said finally, handing her sister-in-law her tea. “It is so wonderful that you could come.”

“Thank you, Eva,” Janet replied, her eyes reflecting her fondness. “It has been a long time since I was in this house, after all. I am pleased to see you managed to convince my head-strong brother to redecorate.”

“You like it then?” the blond woman asked, taking a seat by her husband and taking his hand in hers.

Janet nodded.

“It surprises me, however, that Artemis agreed to get rid of father’s antiques,” she replied, taking a sip of her tea. “A wise decision on your part, brother, a mausoleum is no place fit for your children to grow.”

Artemis’ lips tightened – no, he had not missed the way she said  _his_ children specifically and not children in general, as if something was wrong with his offsprings, -  for a second his tongue itching to quarrel with his sister’s, but Evangeline’s delicate elbow sinking against his side was enough to stop him.

He had a secret weapon, however, and he was not afraid to use it.

He cleared his throat, his knee gently touching his first born’s as he took an elegant sip of his own cup of tea.

Artemis Jr rolled his eyes minutely, clearing his own throat.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, cousin,” he said, his intelligent blue eyes meeting the other teenagers. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Janet’s son laid his tea cup on its dish gently, making no sound as he raised his eyes to meet Artemis’s.

“Indeed, cousin Artemis?” he asked, a small smile on his face that reminded Artemis Sr. of the poisonous viper Janet used to be. “I can’t help but wonder where you could hear about me.”

“Oh,” Artemis Jr. shrugged. “Here and there, your taking over Wayne Enterprises made its echoes even on this side of the pond.”

Timothy’s eyes glinted.

“Of course.”

Artemis Sr.’s knee hit his son’s once more.

“I must admit, however, that I imagined you taller, cousin,” Artemis Jr. continued, eyes wide an innocent. “Considering you are almost two years older than I?”

“Four if we consider your dimensional escapades, little cousin,” Timothy replied without missing a beat. “And do not expect another growth spur coming from our bloodline. I’m afraid my height is completely from mother’s side.”

Artemis Sr.’s hand tightened on his teacup.

Janet’s lips curled into a small smile.

“Timothy was able to overcome any… setback his blood might have given him, didn’t you, son?” she said, turning to regard her son and letting her eyes reflect her pride. Tim responded with a smile of his own.

“I do what I can, mother,” he said gently.

“It must have been hard, nonetheless,” Artemis Jr. sighed as his father’s knee connected with his own for a third time. “I can only be grateful Butler stayed by my side all these years, protecting me.”

Artemis Sr.’s eyes reflected his smugness as his sister’s shoulders tensed a millimeter. Of course his son knew enough to guess where to strike his aunt’s pride the deepest. Janet had openly expressed her displeasure when she demanded that their father provided one of the Butler children for her son as she had found herself pregnant before her older brother had even managed to produce a child of his own. Her son was the first born of their generation and therefore was in all the right to inherit at least that much.

Their father, however, had denied her claim and told Janet, quite clearly, that as she had decided to share their aristocratic lineage with ‘that American simpleton’ she had relinquished all her rights as a daughter of the house of Fowl and could not expect any help from them from then on.

No son she could produce with that fool’s blood would compare to any heir her brother Artemis could create.

She had been furious and her refusal to contact the family until this very day proved it was still a sore spot for her.

He wanted to gloat like in their youth.

Timothy, however, simply let his eyes roam over the muscled bodyguard standing behind Artemis Jr. and shook his head lightly.

“While during my first years, Mr. Butler’s company would have been most welcome, I have to admit that his absence was the perfect incentive to push myself to excel,” he replied, his smile maintaining his gentleness. “Of course, Lady Shiva had only words of praise for Domovoi, and therefore I have to confess I was a little jealous of you, cousin Artemis.”

Artemis Sr. tilted his head in confusion when Butler’s and his son’s eyes widened in shock.

“Surely you jest, cousin,” Artemis Jr. asked.

“Do leprechauns have gold, cousin?” Timothy replied, raising an eyebrow.

Artemis Sr. sighed, letting his eyes finally meet his sister’s and the way they seemed to mock his attempts. How come they had sunk into another ‘my son is better than yours’ battle of wit? How had she even realized he was trying to engage her?

He shook his head.

Of course, it was Janet.

She might have felt insulted when their father denied her the most basic heirloom of the Fowl family. She might have been embittered by the fact he did not send over young Juliet after his father passed away or even bother to reach a hand to them when Drake Industries started to have problems.

But if there was one thing in the world she would never trade her pride over was her son, the one creature she had carried, created, bled for and forged with her own hands.

Of course engaging her in a ‘my son’s better than yours’ battle would make her attack mercilessly.

He decided to offer an olive branch.

“You are indeed your mother’s son, Timothy,” he said at last, resting a tired hand on Artemis Jr.’s knee and patting it lightly. “I can see the same glint of ambition in your eyes as I saw in hers at your age.”

Tim’s smile softened.

“Thank you, uncle,” he offered gently, his fingers caressing the back of his mother’s hand.

“Oh, Artemis brother,” Janet smiled, her long black eyelashes caressing the air as she blinked. “I must admit I can see you reflected in your son as well.”

Artemis Sr. smiled.

“He even courts faries as you used to do at his age,” she continued, her thumb caressing Timothy’s fingers.

Oh.

It was on.

“May I ask what your son does then, sister of mine?” Artemis Sr. asked back, raising an eyebrow. His steel blue eyes piercing his sisters.

Janet’s reply was interrupted, however, by the soft tapping of hands against the glass of the window closest to her.

She turned, her eyes cold.

“Timothy, my dear,” she said with a sigh. “It appears as you are needed elsewhere.”

Timothy blinked, turning towards the window at the same time as the rest of the family did, only to see a scowling, flying teenager signaling to watch.

“Is that Superboy?” Evangeline asked, eyes wide.

“Indeed,” Janet said, shrugging.

“I did tell him I was busy today,” Timothy sighed, running his free hand through his hair.

“If you are needed there is nothing to do, Timothy,” Janet argued, letting her fingers caress her son’s cheek. “Please be careful and come back as soon as you are done?”

Timothy’s smile finally lit his face into a thing of loveliness, reminding Artemis Sr. why his sister had been surrounded by so many suitors during her youth.

“I promise,” he said, kissing her cheek. “I leave my mother to your care, Aunt?”

“Of course, dearie,” Evangeline waved, demonstrating once more her innate talent to adapt to most situations. “You go ahead and I’ll make sure Artie and his father don’t bully your poor mother.”

Tim turned to his mother, smirking.

She nodded.

“I promise I won’t bully your uncle and cousin without you present,” she sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

Satisfied, Timothy excused himself to his uncle and proceeded to leave the house through the window.

On the third floor.

Artemis Jr. started whispering to his bodyguard about muscle mass and where he had seen his cousin beforehand while Janet turned to smirk at her elder brother.

“My son, dearest Artie, saves the world.”


	2. 2

Artemis is sipping his tea and reading the latest stock market reports while the rest of the family supposedly plays in the garden – and no, he is not hiding from his cousin’s visit, really, it’s not that his cousin would ever be anything but perfect and just made him feel inadequate, not at all – when he feels the cushions under him sink with the added weight of another person and the papers pulled from his hands by very small, very determined hands.

“Myles?” he asks, blinking. “Did something happen?”

His five year old brother blinks up at him, identically intelligent blue eyes focused and purposeful as he arranged himself to rest comfortably on his older brother’s lap and carefully arranged Artemis’ hands to wind around his waist and protect him from a fall.

Artemis lets him, of course, it’s the closest Myles will ever come to ask for physical attention.

“We need to discuss the paperwork regarding our joined inheritance, brother,” Myles says, his little face serious, cheeks flushed.

Artemis raises an eyebrow.

“Our joined… I’m sorry?” he asks.

Myles frowns.

“I do not desire to have another destitute sibling in our family like poor Aunt Janet,” the toddler explains. “Therefore we must discuss how we are going to distribute our inheritance after Beckett inherits the majority.”

Artemis splutters, placing his teacup on the side table.

“What makes you think Beckett is the main heir, Myles? He is the youngest of us three,” he tries to reason.

The child snort.

“Artemis, brother, please,” he says in an uncanny imitation of Aunt Janet that forces a shiver to run down Artemis’ back. “We both know you will one day marry the faery you court so ardently.”

“Holly is several times my age!” Artemis protests, his cheeks flushing.

“The Paradizo Heiress then,” Myles shrugs, waving his little hand dismissively. “In any way you won’t be destitute without our parent’s fortune and can easily do without.”

“And you want me to hand that part of the fortune to you?” Artemis asks, feeling humor when his younger brother scowls.

“Of course not, brother,” Myles sighs. “I do believe your fortune and mine would be better served cushioning life for Beckett, of course. He will need all the help he can get as the Head of the House of Fowl upon Father’s death.”

“You think Beckett will be the Head?”

“Of course, since any heir you produce will not be dimmed completely human and/or of Fowl blood,” Myles explained. “And of all three of us, Beckett does seem the likeliest to produce offsprings without a struggle.”

Artemis has to smile and run a hand through Myles’ black locks, knowing now that his brother is only looking out for their younger sibling and worrying that, as he is less gifted than the two of them, he might be hurt like their Aunt Janet once was.

He sighs and ignores Myles hissed indignation.

“You and I will always be there to help Beckett and you know it, Myles,” he says, trying to sooth his younger brother’s insecurities. “Whether the Head of the House turns out to be him, or you or myself, we will always look after eachother.”

Myles blinks.

“You promise, brother?” he asks, hesitant.

“I swear,” Artemis assures, smiling.

Myles seems to calm down a little, his small hands resting on Artemis’ chest and snuggling into the teen’s slender body.

“But you have to count me out of the equation, brother, for I will not be the Head,” he says suddenly, making his older brother blink.

“No?” Artemis asks, frowning when the toddler shakes his head. “What will you be doing then?”

Myles’ wide eyes turn up to regard Artemis’, innocence and determination shinning familiarly in them.

“Why, I will go to live with cousin Timothy and become his Robin, of course,” he says simply. “I have everything planned, after all, and I cannot concentrate in the mission if I have to produce an heir for the House of Fowl.”

“What?” Artemis asks, eyes wide.

“I will need to train in hand-to-hand combat, of course, but Juliet has agreed to tutor me until her expertise is no longer needed, then I will move up for Domovoi, you will lend him to me, please? And when I’m ready I will join cousin Timothy as his Finch.”

“Finch?” Artemis repeats, gapping.

“Yes, he is the Red Robin, it is obvious I should follow the aviarian theme, isn’t it?”

Artemis has milliseconds to formulate a coherent and quite argumentative response to his younger brother but at that moment the door burst open and Beckett is yelling for their attention while hanging off his cousin Timothy’s arm happily, his little hands firmly grasping his muscles.

Myles, seeing this, immediately abandons Artemis’ lap and runs to demand the same attention for himself, stating that he is the most fit to accompany Timothy in his quest.

“Are you okay, son?” Artemis Sr. asks as he sits by his oldest son’s side on the couch, his eyes worried.

“Myles just told me he doesn’t want his part of the family fortune,” Artemis Jr. says, shocked. “He says he wants to be a vigilante like his cousin Timothy.”

Artemis Sr. laughs, ruffling his son’s hair.

“He is going through a phase, son,” he explains patiently. “You wanted to be an astrophysicist at that age. It will pass.”

Artemis Jr. doesn’t have the heart to tell his father that he did become an astrophysicist soon after – under a protective pseudonym, of course – and that Myles is so sure and determined, so he simply locks his gaze with his Aunt Janet’s knowing eyes.

She simply shrugs and mouths an apology as she serves herself a cup of tea.

Timothy picks Myles in his arms, oblivious to the adoration that lights the boy’s eyes and Artemis decides he is too young to deal with this.

The destruction of the human race at the hands of a maniacal pixy yes, sure, anytime, but a determined Fowl bent on a mission?

May the gods protect them. 


End file.
